Localities. — In mountainous meadows and pastures, by road-sides, and in 
woods, on a chalky or limestone soil. Common in England ; rare in Scotland ; the 
only habitat recorded is “ near Blair, in Athol,” and that with a mark of doubt. 
Not noticed at all in Mr. JIackay’s Flora Hibernica. 
Biennial. — Flowers in September and October. 
Root tapering, fleshy, simple at the crown, but much branched 
below. Stems upright, 2 or 3 feet high, somewhat angular, downy, 
often purplish, leafy ; terminating in a corymbose, leafy, many- 
flowered panicle. Leaves elliptic spear-shaped, irregularly cre- 
nated, woolly on both sides, veiny, radical ones large, tapering at 
the base into bordered footstalks; uppermost ones often entire. 
Flowers numerous, dull yellow. Peduncles short, woolly. Bracteas 
spear-shaped, small, one on each peduncle. Scales of the Involu- 
crum strap-spear-shaped, numerous, imbricated, the lower green, 
the upper yellowish, their points green and recurved* Seeds small, 
blackish, furrowed. Pappus sessile, as long as the involucrum. 
Receptacle tubercled. — Whole herb soft and downy, bitter and 
somewhat aromatic, with a portion of mucilage. 
The root-leaves greatly resemble those of Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea, t. 
113.) , but when rubbed, they are readily distinguished by their aromatic scent. 
The name of Flea-bane, more properly Fly-bane, has been applied to this 
plant, from its fanied power of keeping off insects, especially flies, and of de- 
stroying fleas ; but the genus Erigeron (see 1. 166.) is the real Fly-bane, some of 
its viscid species, dipped in milk, being used in the south of Europe to catch the 
various little winged insects, so troublesome in warm climates. 
WANDERINGS IN JUNE. 
“ How strange a scene has come to pass 
Since Summer ’gau its reign! 
Spring flowers are buried in the grass. 
To sleep till Spring again ; 
Her dew-drops Evening still receives 
To gild the Morning hours ; 
But dew-drops fall on open’d leaves. 
And moisten stranger-flowers. 
The artless daisies’ smiling face 
My wanderings find no more ; 
The king. cups that supplied their place. 
Their golden race is o’er ; 
And clover-heads, with ruddy bloom. 
That blossom where these fell. 
Ere Autumn’s fading mornings come 
Shall meet their grave as well. 
# * * * # 
The open flower, the loaded bough. 
The fields of spindling grain. 
Were blooming then the same as now, 
And so will bloom again : 
When with the past my being dies. 
Still Summer suns shall shine, 
And other eyes shall see them rise 
When death has darkened mine. 
Reflection, with thy mortal shrouds 
When thou dost interfere. 
Though all is gay, what gloomy clouds 
Thy musings shadow here ! 
To think of Summers yet to come 
That I am not to see ! 
To think a weed is yet to bloom 
From dust that I shall be !” 
JOHN CLARE. 
